Athletics
When Armand Duplantis stepped onto the runway at the Mondo Classic, his Swedish home crowd didn't just cheer - they willed him to fly. But even champions have their limits.
The atmosphere inside IFU Arena in Uppsala, Sweden, was charged with anticipation as Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis stepped onto the runway for his final attempt at a new world record of 6.28m. Competing in front of his home crowd, the Swedish pole vaulting star had already secured victory, as none of his competitors managed to clear 6.05m. Now, the question wasn't if he would win, but how high he could go.
"Home soil is a different kind of feeling; it’s a different kind of pressure," Duplantis said before the competition. He had expressed confidence that a 6.30m jump was within his reach. Would tonight be the night?
A record attempt that wasn't meant to be
With the bar set at 6.28m – a height that would have marked his 12th consecutive world record – Duplantis took his first attempt to the sound of his own song, Bop, blasting around the arena. The crowd rose to their feet, cheering him on. But his first attempt was a miss. The second failed as well. On his third, he bailed out just after jumping, shaking his head – it simply wasn't the right jump.
His attempt at breaking the world record on home soil will have to wait for another time. "It was an amazing energy tonight, I"m happy," Duplantis said after the event, explaining that it's an extra level of pressure when you compete at your own event. Nevertheless, the field was stacked, a "level higher like at the Olympic final," Duplantis added.
Final result at the Mondo Classic 2025
- Armand Duplantis (Sweden) – 6.05m
- Emmanouil Karalis (Greece) – 6.00m
- Sam Kendricks (USA) – 5.90m
Duplantis, Karalis and Kendricks will face each other again soon at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, from March 21–23.
A star-studded line-up
In its fourth edition, the Mondo Classic brought together some of the biggest names in the sport, including recent European Indoor champions Karalis and Menno Vloon of the Netherlands, as well as Norwegian standout Sondre Guttormsen.
Also competing were two of the sport's most respected veterans: two-time world champion Kendricks and French legend Renaud Lavillenie. The latter, a close friend and inspiration to Duplantis, is a living reminder of how pole vaulting bridges generations, passing down both technique and spirit.
How does pole vaulting work?
For the uninitiated, pole vaulting is as much art as it is science. Athletes sprint down a runway, plant a flexible fiberglass or carbon fiber pole into a small catch box and use it to propel themselves over a bar suspended meters above the ground. The sport demands a perfect blend of speed, strength and technical precision - not to mention nerves of steel. Each competitor has three attempts at a given height and the bar keeps rising until only one vaulter remains.
The magic of the Mondo Classic
Unlike traditional meets, where pole vaulting is just one event among many - often positioned in the middle of a large track stadium, far from spectators - the Mondo Classic makes it the centrepiece. Fans are inches from the action, feeling the rush of air as the vaulters soar. It's an experience that has helped grow the sport and given athletes a stage where their performances aren't just seen, but felt.
What's next for Duplantis?
With his latest win, Armand Duplantis continues to dominate the sport, though his mission of breaking a world record on home soil remains unfinished. His next chance to make history comes at the 20th World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing. Given his recent form, another world record attempt could be just around the corner.
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